The National Auctioneers Association (NAA) has created a draft of an auction-license law it wants state legislators to adopt. The group distributed a booklet containing the sample law to its members this week.
The "Uniform Auction and Auctioneer Licensing Act" (UAALA) provides a template for states to consider when drafting state auction and auctioneer laws. In the US, no single federal law regulating the conduct of auctions exists. Regulation is left up to individual states legislatures and agencies, many of which have drafted their own regulations to govern auctions.
States have differing requirements on licensing, education, bonding, fees and other aspects of conducting an auction. The NAA says that because there are differences from state to state, burdens are placed on professional auctioneers trying to conduct business in multiple states, and also inconveniences auction attendees.
However, with regard to online auctions, the NAA takes no position. The UAALA states, "Each State should consider whether to exempt individuals and businesses that conduct auctions online via the Internet. UAALA has intentionally taken no position on this issue and will allow each State to consider the issue."
NAA has begun asking members to educate state legislatures and agencies on specifics of the Act, which was created with the help of the National Auctioneer License Law Officials Association (NALLOA), which works to improve interstate reciprocity of auctioneers.
Link to the proposed law in PDF format:
http://www.auctioneers.org/membersonly/industry_news/stateLaws/NAA-License-Law-2006.pdf
http://www.auctioneers.org
